Sunday morning me and my hunting partner went on a hike to scout Browns Cove. Since we did not think that we could bum a ride from a fisherman we decided to hike in from the trail head by Camp Hope. I checked google maps and had a plan that should only have been about a 5-mile hike but it ended up being more like 10! We parked and it started out very good with a group of turkeys gobbling near the parking lot. So off we went and made it to Corral and crossed the stream to the back side of Browns Cove. We did not see much sign or hear any gobbles. So we decided to hike up the trail to the other side so we would know where the boat landing was. This is when we missed the trail to the left that looks like a good trail on google maps but really is an overgrown stream bed. As we got to the top of the ridge I knew we had missed the trial as I looked out over the valley and saw the Damn. This is when I decided to check ONX maps too late! But since we had gone this far we continued into Bloomdale and did see a group of 5 deer, all does, and a pair of bald eagles. They were not happy to see us as they circled us over and over until we moved on. Hope they move on as well as I am sure the turkeys are not happy to see the eagles either. But once again we did not see much sign. I thought I heard a hen clucking and yelping at one point. We walked along the shore line and found the landing for Browns Cove. The trail over the hill is not marked and is not much of a trail it is pretty overgrown and once you get on top like I said earlier it turns into a steam bed. So if you have Browns Cove and ONX Maps drop a waypoint on the trail which is what I did but never double checked our position. After getting back to Browns Cove we walked around a little more to check out the area and saw three more deer in the Oaks and we found one shed. By this time, it was 1230 and we were both turning into Betty White in need of a snickers! So we headed back to the parking area the way we came in. At the truck we heard gobbles on the hill side of the Camp Hope area. Overall it was a good scouting trip and now I know exactly were to go and how to get there. ONX maps worked well in airplane mode I just need to use it more instead of thinking I know everything were have I heard that that before!! But that is what scouting is all about and we did 10.1 miles with my screw up of missing the trail.
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